1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunication systems and more particularly relates to a method and system for providing multiple services per trigger to a subscriber.
2. Background of the Invention
In the telecommunication industry today, many advanced services are available to telephone line subscribers in which a customer can set up her telephone line in such a way that a number of tasks could be performed by the telephone system before ringing the subscriber""s telephone. For example, in an advanced intelligent network (AIN) structure, the Flexible Call Forwarding service allows a Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber to receive all calls made to her home telephone number at any location she so designates. AIN structures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,301, which is hereby incorporated by reference. The Flexible Call Forwarding service can be provided through the use of a Termination Attempt Trigger (TAT) and the Flexible Call Forwarding Service Logic Program (SLP). The Flexible Call Forwarding service is one example of several services that are implemented using feature SLPs. Feature SLPs are software subsystems implemented in, e.g., a Service Control Point, that are used to provide specific services to subscribers. The TAT is located at the service switching point (SSP) to which the Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber""s telephone line is physically connected. The Flexible Call Forwarding SLP helps the SCP process queries originating from the TATs of Flexible Call Forwarding subscribers. For example, when a Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber""s telephone number is dialed by a caller, prior to ringing the Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber""s telephone, the TAT sends an AIN query to the SCP. The AIN query contains a specific Translation Type that is unique for all TATs serving Flexible Call Forwarding subscribers. In a preferred embodiment, this AIN query goes through a signal transfer point (STP) where the Translation Type prompts the STP to add a subsystem number specific to the Flexible Call Forwarding SLP to the query. Thus each subsystem number is unique to a specific subsystem of the SCP. The Flexible Call Forwarding SLP then goes through appropriate steps to process that call. If the Flexible Call Forwarding service has been activated by the Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber, the call is routed to the predetermined destination as designated by the Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber. Otherwise, the Flexible Call Forwarding SLP prompts the SCP to send an instruction authorizing the SSP to put the call through to the default location.
Similarly, when an Internet Call Waiting subscriber""s telephone number is dialed, the Internet Call Waiting subscriber""s SSP sends a query to the SCP asking for instructions before allowing the call to go through. The SCP, through the Translation Type and the subsystem number that are specific to the Internet Call Waiting subscriber""s TAT and the Internet Call Waiting SLP, respectively, consults the Internet Call Waiting SLP to determine whether the Internet Call Waiting subscriber had activated the Internet Call Waiting service. If the Internet Call Waiting service has been activated by the Internet Call Waiting subscriber, the SCP sends an authorization to the SSP to put the call through, and the subscriber is alerted that there is an incoming call waiting while she is connected to the Internet. Otherwise, the Internet Call Waiting SLP would cause the SCP to send a different instruction directing the SSP to inform the caller that the Internet Call Waiting subscriber""s telephone line is busy or is otherwise unavailable.
One major limitation of the current AIN structure is that each TAT can only invoke one feature SLP. In other words, a Flexible Call Forwarding subscriber may not simultaneously subscribe to other services such as Internet Call Waiting, Privacy Director, and Messaging. This gives telephone line subscribers limited choices, despite the variety of services available to them. For example, under the current AIN structure, an Internet Call Waiting subscriber who wants to subscribe to one of the other services offered at the same AIN trigger must give up the Internet Call Waiting service.
The present invention makes it possible for a customer to subscribe to multiple services simultaneously using a single trigger, such as a Termination Attempt Trigger (TAT), that is connected to her telephone line. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention makes it possible for a single TAT to invoke multiple feature Service Logic Programs (feature SLPs) in an order determined by the Multiple Services per Trigger subscriber. The present invention provides telephone line subscribers with greater flexibility for handling incoming calls through various services, including without limitation, Flexible Call Forwarding, Internet Call Waiting, and Privacy Director and Messaging.
The setup procedures for the present invention are straightforward. In a preferred embodiment, a Multiple Services per Trigger subscriber calls the business office of the telephone company to designate the type of services she wishes to have, and the order in which the services are to be invoked. Then, a TAT is installed at the service switching point (SSP) that is physically connected to the subscriber""s telephone line. A unique Translation Type specific to Multiple Services per Trigger subscribers, e.g., xe2x80x9c220,xe2x80x9d is then assigned to the subscriber""s TAT. The business office then updates a database that is accessible by a service control point (SCP) with the Multiple Services per Trigger subscription information. Following this setup, the subscriber can subsequently update the database to activate or deactivate the various services as often as she wants to.
In a preferred embodiment, various feature SLPs are present at the SCP to which all queries from SSPs are directed. The feature SLPs process incoming queries and prompt the SCP to send appropriate instructions to the SSPs from which the queries had originated. Each feature SLP performs a specific task. For example, a Flexible Call Forwarding SLP processes the incoming calls of Flexible Call Forwarding subscribers, an Internet Call Waiting SLP processes Internet Call Waiting subscribers"" incoming calls, and a Privacy Director SLP processes Privacy Director subscribers"" incoming calls.
The present invention is implemented by installing a Feature Interaction Manager SLP on an SCP in the network. The Feature Interaction Manager SLP manages all feature SLPs, whether the feature SLPs are located within the same SCP on which the Feature Interaction Manager SLP resides, or on other SCPs. The Feature Interaction Manager SLP has access to a database that contains subscriber information that lists which customers subscribe to which AIN service or services. The database also defines how multiple services subscribed by a single subscriber are to be invoked and the location of the SLP in the network.
For example, when a query comes from the TAT of a Multiple Services per Trigger subscriber, the unique xe2x80x9c220xe2x80x9d Translation Type assigned to that TAT would cause the signal transfer point (STP) to supply the corresponding subsystem number (SSN) of the Feature Interaction Manager SLP to the query. Each subsystem number is unique to a specific SLP. For example, the Flexible Call Forwarding SLP, Internet Call Waiting SLP, and Privacy Director SLP might have subsystem numbers of xe2x80x9c1,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9c2,xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c3,xe2x80x9d respectively. The Feature Interaction Manager SLP also has its own subsystem number. In this example, the Feature Interaction Manager""s subsystem number could be xe2x80x9c4.xe2x80x9d When the STP receives the query from the SSP with Translation Type of xe2x80x9c220,xe2x80x9d the STP supplies subsystem number of xe2x80x9c4xe2x80x9d to the query and forwards the query to the SCP. When the SCP receives the query with the subsystem number xe2x80x9c4,xe2x80x9d it routes the query to the Feature Interaction Manager SLP. The Feature Interaction Manager SLP then consults the database to find out which services the Multiple Services per Trigger subscriber had contracted for, and the service interaction rules that prescribe the order in which the subscribed services are to be invoked.
For example, if Subscriber A has ordered both Internet Call Waiting and Flexible Call Forwarding services (in that order), and Subscriber A had also activated both services, a query from her TAT would cause the Feature Interaction Manager SLP to invoke the Internet Call Waiting SLP first. The Internet Call Waiting SLP would then prompt the SCP to alert Subscriber A that a call is waiting if she is connected to the Internet. If Subscriber A is not on line or is otherwise unavailable at her telephone, the Feature Interaction Manager SLP would then invoke the next feature SLP, namely, the Flexible Call Forwarding SLP. Then, the Flexible Call Forwarding SLP would process the query by instructing the SSP to route the call to the forwarding telephone number designated by Subscriber A.
In a different example in which Subscriber B has a subscription to Flexible Call Forwarding and Internet Call Waiting services (in that order), the procedures would be reversed. In other words, all incoming calls of Subscriber B would be forwarded to the predetermined forwarding telephone number. The Internet Call Waiting SLP would be invoked only if Subscriber B had deactivated the Flexible Call Forwarding service and updated the database accordingly.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to allow telephone line subscribers greater flexibility in managing incoming calls.
It is another object of the present invention to allow a single trigger to support multiple services.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a telephone network in which additional services can be readily provided to a telephone network""s subscribers.